Earlier this summer systemic dysfunction across the Veterans Healthcare System was uncovered and in the coming months multiple changes have occurred.

Robert McDonald was named Secretary of Veterans Affairs, following the resignation of Secretary Eric Shinseki. Congress has passed a VA reform bill, and has provided additional funding to the VA.

On Thursday Congressman Tim Huelskamp was in Junction City to get a first hand look at the Community Based Outreach Center in Junction City. During his visit he toured the facility and saw first hand the scheduling system used by the clinic and VA clinics and hospitals nation wide.

“I was looking over that and it looked like the scheduling system, the type of computer software that I was using in high school, because it is. This system is like 30 years old,” explained Huelskamp. “I was just looking for the three and half inch slot for the diskette to put in there, I mean this system probably used to have that. That’s embarrassing to find that out in Washington a few months ago, I actually found that out in Wichita they are using a DOS based system.”

Huelskamp explained that it’s not about spending money,”the VA has wasted plenty of money on a system that could have paid for that system a couple times over, but we’re trying to cut through that bureaucracy.”

Despite the dated software Huelskamp heard from staff at the Junction City clinic that they are still able to meet the needs of their patients in a timely fashion.

Rudy Klopfer, the Director of the Junction City Community Based Outreach Clinic, explained that patients that have already been seen at the Junction City clinic can be seen on a same day basis, however the process for new patients wanting to be seen is longer.

“That’s is beyond a good 60 days out, and that’s here at this clinic. If a Veteran wants to be seen sooner than that, a new patient, they can come to Topeka where we have more providers and availability to get them in within a couple of weeks,” says Klopfer.

The Junction City clinic has been approved to expand the clinic three times the size it is today. Klopfer said they currently are working through the contract process and searching for a building or land that they can expand to. With the expansion they hope to add an additional provider and possibly bring additional services to Junction City.